Bloodlines
by Tayanna Jedelle Demitelle
Summary: Talon is a young Shifter in the mystical world of Moroi, Dhampirs, and Strigoi. ONly the races she grew up with in a parallel demension hidden in the rockies are different. Can she face the secrets hidden within her blood, or will she fall to the demons?
1. 1, 2, 3, 4 I Declare a Wolf

The rain fell down like an omen to dread, lining everything with a glossy coat of polish. Like Diamonds falling into a deposit box, little drops fell into pools of water on the black tar. Clouds thundered angrily overhead, howling at me to go back the way I came. Today hadn't been a good day. Shifters, on their first day of school, would go with family in their families native mastered animal. For my family that was the Python, and my parents "snaked" their way out of going so they could stay home and torture the maids and butlers. I'd argued with them that they'd done it with my brother Damien, but they waved it off and sent me in a Limmo and a "police" escort. Argument lost. It was a Shifter tradition to do that but then again, not many Shifters are filthy rich like dear Mom and Dad.

My reflection was dim on the black shaded windows that prevented others from seeing me as we drove on the mountain trail. My red eyes glowed in the darkness of the incoming twilight; sad, bored, how ever you word it, it's nagative. My long black hair was braided in one think braid and hung over my shoulder. My bangs fell into my face, framing it lightly and shading my pale complexion just enough to make me look like some sort of goddess. I was short for a Shifter my age, fifty three (we age slowly, so I look like I'm fifteen), but I didn't see it as bad. I have the advantage of being stronger and faster than your average Shifter, stratigetically smarter, and good with rhythyms and sounds. Fortunately, I fall in neither of my parents gene pools. It comes in handy because I tend to fly off the handle a lot and get in all kinds of fights.

The trees flew by as I got closer to the school, and soon they gave way to the four towers of the school. Each tower resides in one direction of the Human Compass. North, South, East, and West. They had demonic, Dracula-looking castle spikes making it demonic, and cryptic, almost. Atleast the accomadations are supposed to be okay. People and animals ran across the fields to get to cover from the rain. I'd purposefully made myself late for the opening ceremonies, too boring.

The Escort people turned on their sirens, making people stop and look to see who's coming now. All the faces looking my way, I felt my face and my heart flush. Even though I knew they couldn't see me, I ducked anyways. Like I needed another reason to get pestered other than being my brothers sister? Hell no! The sound of the ruby leaf pendant tapping on the interior plastic of the door was reassuring. Damien had gotten it for me when I graduated from Eighth grade last year before he went away for school. It moved it beat with the holes in the ground from lack of care on the road. I liked it...

Kitta stood at the gate you use to get on and off Campus, accompanied by a couple of school guards to make sure she didn't run anywhere. She was impatiently tapping her foot when we pulled into view, then she was just jumping and waving her arms like a maniac. Yes, I can see you, Kit, I though to myself. I smiled at the fact that I could still make silent humorous jokes after the 34 hour limmo ride without stopping. The curious eyes that had seen us coming were arriving at the gate now and watched in wonder as the limmo pulled to a stop before entering the campus to drop off my stuff. I opened the door and in she popped, locking me in her arms. She has firey orange hair, but it was pulled back into a dark orange winter hat with fall leaf designs on it. Her hezel eyes and tan complexion were bright, even in the dreary weather.

"You're here!" she shrieked. "I though you'd never come!"

"With back up!!" I laughed back and pointed to the Escort people pretending to be police. She laughed and shut the door behind her. Why make her walk when here's a fancy Limmo ride with her best friend in it? Kitta Foxwood has been my best friend practically since the day I was born. Her mom had been my moms best friend in highschool, but when my mom got super rich they stopped talking. Finally, as a surprise visit, they showed up and we've been friends since. We're practically sisters, too. We share everything with eachother. She makes me feel more in control of my emotions when I'm around her, more calm.

The campus was beautiful. Huge, but beautiful. There was a waterfall in between the Highschool Campus where we were and the Middleschool Campus. The Elementals a long time ago made another demension for our people to live peacefully. It's pretty much like another state hidden in a one mile radius of the center of the Rocky Mountains. There is a College Campus, a Highschool Campus, a Middleschool Campus, an Elementary Campus, and a Preschool Campus. Not to mention a few towns and villages but nothing more than that. The lush grass would soon be dying to make room for snow, the lakes and ponds will freeze up, plants and trees will go dormant. All those fun things that bring quiet out in the winter time.

There were four buildings total on this campus. The Dorms building for both guys and girls, the actual school, the recreational building has a pool, a football field, a soccer field, a Track track, a work out room with treadmills and lifers (that fun stuff), and a basket ball court. Well, two of those. One in and one out doors. The last building is the three story cafeteria. First floor food and seating and the other two are just seating. The whole place itself is like a cryptic castle inside and out, except the dorms. It's a "Cheery Castle" on the outside, in Kit's words, and like a luxury hotel on the inside. Though the hallways are lit by torches because the Vamps are uncomfortable with the flourescents.

We, followed by curious people, curiously followed the maids who'd accompanied me to make sure I got situated all right. They liked me and my brother because we did things for ourselves and helped them n occasion. We even said please and thank you...Unlike some people I know. The people following us were a majority of guys, but they couldn't come into our dorm unless we let them in or invite them. Heh, heh. Card keys.

The girls followed us, about three of them. Being an Empath, I could sense their personalities right when they started following us. The tall on in the middle with long silver blond hair, preppy clothes that only bitchy girls wear, and overdose on makeup and jewlery describes vane bitch who wants to knw whether or not I'll be on her side as one of her minions. The two on the other side were just as drone as a nano-bot. Enough said.

I didn't take the time to look at the room personally, but I did look long enough to know that the left side was my room, the bathroom was on Kit's side wall, and my new wardrobe was being filled with clothes from my siutcase. I thanked the maids, tipped them 400 dollars each (because I can do that) and ran out into the now empty hallway with Kit in tow.

There was a "wear what ever you want" rule here so long as it was prejudice. Meaning no logos, no immature pictures, and no swears. It also meant that I could go bare foot! That rule will always be my favorite, no matter what.

Before leaving, I got into a pair of baggy jeans to go outside in, and I changed my Arizona tanktop for a dark blue long flaired sleeve shirt with a deep v-shaped neck. My hair stayed in a braid, though.

The water from the puddles was cold and refreshing on my feet as we walked along the pavement path. I don't like jackets or hats like Kit, but I do like outside. Poor Kit was in a green pair of those horrible rubber boots that humans wear when walking though ankle deep water. She had on jeans, like me only not as loose, and a brown plastic rain coat that was more like an extra large shirt only the sleeves fit.

On our way to dinner, I got antsy because people started following us again, only from a stalker distance this time. With heightened senses like mine, it would drive anyone mad. But they were far enough back that we could take a turn, hide and let them walk past without being noticed. Kitta told me to relax and if they got closer then we'd go beast and give them a run for their money. Metaphoricaly speaking because right when I got the idea she told me, "No stealing, either." I called her a kill joy and we laughed our way along.

"Don't look at them," she said suddenly. I looked up and a group of people were on their way towards us on the same path. Not enough room for the both of us and them so either them or us would have to dirty ur feets so the other can get by. "And let them go by."

"No. It's a group of all guys, and there's only three of them. They should be gentlemenly and let us pass first."

"They may be freshmen like you but they're mean," she hissed before they got in hearing range. I was too hungry to care.

Just as expected, the three of them purposely took up the walkway that would have been big enough for all five of us towalk along if Kit had stayed behind me. She did, but that didn't mean she was happy about what I was doing.

"Hey, girl!" the black haired kid in the middle said rudely.

"Yes, boy?" I asked just as rudely. I wasn't focusing on him or his two lackeys. I was concentrating on the smell coming from the big building behind them...Some sort of delecious meat, veggies, and golden baked potatoes.

"How dare you talk to melike that! Do you have any idea who I am?" he growled.

"Nope, now can you guys use the manners I know your Units gave you and let the girls pass? Some of us are hungry, you know." I pretended to glare at them. The black haired kid got really red.

"You're hungry, huh?" he said arrogantly. Then, with speed a few levels under mine, he lunged his fist at my face. I immidately caught it and countered with a punch to the stomach. Taking advantage of his delay, I threw him in the mud. The other two ran after him even though it was only a few feet from where they were standing.

"Thank you!" I hollered behind me. Kit was now beside me, alarmingly close. I think she though I was gonna get my ass kicked.

"You could have gotten your butt kicked! What the heck were you thinking?!" she hissed at me as soon as they were out of sight. I entered the cafeteria as we were talking and we both got in line. Greasy cheese burger was shoved in my face.

"I was thinking I wanted something a little less Radioactive and a little more edible," I said with a raised eyebrow. She giggled then sighed. We moved to the glass refridgerators and got our Coke-a-Colas and headed to the table Kit had pointed out upon entering.

"I can't stay angry at you, can I?" she smiled. I looked at her as we sat down at the red table with her friends.

"No, I was really thinking about eating something a little more edible and a little less than a Heart Attack on a bun." A few people around us laughed at what I said.

"Oh, yeah! You guys, this is my best-est friend in the whole of the wide world, Talon! She's finally here! Are you excited?" she introduced me oddly, but it was her way of being greatful I was here. They saluted me or said hi, but other than that, I was reduced to freshmen once more.

I took one bite of my food and almost hurled, so I threw it away. And they say that school food is healthier for you than your average house meal? Hell no! I wont believe that for a second, atleast not any more.

"Hey, Kit?" I said before rejoining the table. I didn't feel like I being there at the moment and I wanted to run off the one tenth of shit I just ate. It probably had more calories than McDonalds and Wok Inn put together!

"Yeah?" she asked, happy as ever.

"I'm gonna go for a run. See you at curfew?"

"Sure!" she said happily. I gave her a two fingered salute, my way of saying "Peace out", and changed into a wolf. I had a hard time with the snake form, even though it's my family's Master Form. I had a much easier time with the wolf than anything so I used it more. The wolf is also my favoirte form so I don't complain like my Parental Units do.

Someone held the door open for me and I passed through with a slight nod of the head. The stone pathways were leveled cobblestone, like the floors of all the buildings on campus except the dorms. It hurt my feet walking over so I'd be taking a few laps around the entire campus, and then end at the dorms.

I stepped out into the rain, almost unphased by it except for having to occasionally twitch my ears. I could feel the cold wet on the pads of my paws, and immaginged what a hot shower would be like tonight. As I took in the cold and got my adrenaline going, I did some dog stretches and just kinda did a yawn stretch. God! The Radioactive Heart Attack on a Bun was effecting me already! Time to run! And like that I was off and running as fast as my feet wanted to go.

The thud f my heart in my chest was like a never ending drum that reacted to my adrenaline and excitement. With each thud another paw came down into the cold mud. It slid under my claws and squeezed between my toes yet it made no attempt to stop me. I immagined running up a mountain as I ran, focusing only on the beat of my heart and the steps I took. I ran by the waterfall Damien and Kitta had told me about before I realized someone was trying to keep up with me.

He had blue eyes and his fur was midnight black. Like me, he was a black wolf and was running with me. He, too, was smiling. Because he was happy, I didn't want to disturb him. So I ran up the Mental projection of the mountain I was invisioning until I reached the dorms my third time around where I stopped to rest.

I slowed to a stop easily, but the wolf kid had to drop, roll, then stop instead of "Stop, Drop, and Roll." Ha ha, I made a corny pun. He stood up as soon as he stopped rolling in the mud and trodded over to where I was sitting next to the girls dorm door. The right half of the building was girls and the left half boys.

"What! A! Blast!" he shouted through a laugh. "I have never met anyone who runs like you! I thought I was the fastest wolf here, but I guess I was wrong." He was panting hard like he really had been TRYING to keep up with me.

"Um...Thank you?" I said, digging my paw into the mud. He laughed a light bark-laugh that normally comes with the form. He sat on the guys dorm side of me, still in his wolf form.

"I think this year's going to be nice having someone who can compete with me on my level instead of just doing everything by myself. What about you?" he asked siincerely.

"I think you're right, just so long as you're not an ass hole in disguise," I laughed. He laughed, too.

"Oh, yes," he said sarcastically. "I'm a terrible bully who's intent on ruling the school with an iron fist! Muahahahaha!" We both laughed.

I looked to the sky which was now black and the rain was letting up. It was only drizzling out now, but we both were soaked beyond comparison. I stood up and shook. He didn't complain but he did get up and started heading away.

"I've got to go now. When can I see you again?"

"When I run again. That wont be long considering the food here is almost as radioactive as a humans Dump." He laughed and ran away. When I was sure he was out of sight, I sat back down to wait for Kitta to return. The curfew bell was about to ring and she hated being late for anything.

People came pouring int the dorms at the sound of the bell, but she didn't come. I scanned each face twice as they passed making sure I didn't miss her, and I didn't. The last time she was late her brother made her run ten laps around the block, and she was seven. I sat obediently and waited like a dog for its master.

Almost twenty minutes after the curfew bell, she came running like she was running for her life. Her orange hair was a mess, aglow in the rising sun, but a mess all the same. She had a few welts on her forehead and forearms. The look of her face was terrified, but when she saw me, it became total relief. That's when I saw why. That Freshmen from earlier and his lackeys were chasing her. I let her run inside and I followed. Once inside, I changed back. I covered her mouth so she wouldn't start blathering on. I heard the foot steps of their approach and shoved her behind the wall where they couldn't see her. Then I sidled against the door where they couldn't see me through the little window.

"Can you see her?" asked on of them in a low whisper.

"Le'me look," said the other oaf. When I felt two sets of hands against the door, I reached for the knob and forced it open with all of my strength.

They were sent flying backwards onto the wet blacktop, noses bloody from the impact. The leader stood in shock at what I'd done. This time, I took his face in so I'd remember t beat it to a bloodier pulp than his two unlucky subordinates. He had black hair and blue eyes that were lit up with anger. He was tall, muscular, and very hot. If he wasn't a total Douche Bag I'd want to ask him out. When I took up a fighting stance, he snapped to and took up his own.

"What the hell did you do to her, ass hole?" I growled at him.

"I think I was making an attempt to teach you a lesson for treating me the way you did earlier, but here you are so I'm going to go ahead and call that a bon-" Before he could finish I punched him down with a right hook. While he was stunned, I picked him up and threw him against the wall.

"Now you listen to me and you listen good, boy. You may have been top dog in the past, but you sure as hell aren't now. I am the ONE person you don't want to piss off. Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you leave Kitta alone. Oh, and before I forget," I adjusted my arm and pressed harder on his neck, "my name is Talon. Don't bother telling me yours because I'll know you as either Dumb Ass or Ass Hole. Now get out of my sight, you mangie mutt!" I released him and threw him on his buddies who were waking up the exact moment he landed on their sore butts. I went in through the doors without looking back because I could already hear them running for the door nex door.

Kitta wasn't where I'd left her but I could smell that she'd gone upstairs to the dorm room. I bolted up the stairs and down the hall. I really just wanted to go to bed, but I had to make sure she was okay first. I knocked twice and then entered when the sobbing vibrations in the air temporarily ceased.

The curtains were closed, the room was dark. We don't actually get to start school until the day after tomorrow because not all of the students had arrived yet. The walls were a pale orange-pink with white stripes going up the wall. The ceiling was just plain white and the carpet was a solid gold color that looked just like the color of a marshmellow perfectly cooked to a crisp gold, only carpet isn't edible, my friends. The beds had white pillows and white down-comforters on both beds made them look almost similar except one had Kitta curled up in a ball.

I walked over to her bed side and tried to put a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged away. Guilt filled my conscience as I looked at the bruises on her arms. If I'd listened to her and backed down, this wouldn't have happened. But I didn't and it did which means it's my fault. Grah! I hate psychology!

"Sorry," I whispered before I went and got a night gown out of my wardrobe and jumped in the shower. Of three things I was certain. Number one, I have a crush on a kid who's face I only know as a wolf. Number two, I just declared war a kid with a superiority complex and he may or may not end up dead if he does or doesn't piss me off. And finally three, if I don't back down soon and he goes after Kitta again, she may not go home for summer vacation alive.

"Then it looks like I've got a job to do," I said to myself as I started the shower. "Now get moving, Talon."


	2. Secrets From Hell

Ever get those days when nothing ever goes your way? When you just wanna curl up and hide from existence? That's me all over. Especially since Kitta wont even speak to me. It was the most akward silence after my shower because she was sleeping but kept whimpering so I got no sleep what so ever. On top of that, Colt Cobrakit, a Cobra Mastered kid who went to human school for years with me because him family and my Units thought that we would one day carry on the Serpent Master. Wrong! The guy is totally self-centered, arrogant, pride-bound, rude, ignorant, and as stuck up and snooty as the Humans. I almost died when I saw him walk up to the dorms the next morning, his head held high so as to let the moonlight glitter glorifyingly, his clothes as elegant as a prince, and his smile "Perfect", his parents had said. It took me a while to remember who he was, but when he screeched I remembered and was afraid it was too late to turn around and HOPE it was a nightmare.

"Tally!" he screamed. Instinct kicked in and I punched him. He sat up, a pout plastered on his lips, and looked at me as though he was hurt. His golden eyes never did hold that certain appeal that the Wolf Boy's did. "What was that for, Tally-la? I missed you!"

"People need to learn the effects of coffee in the morning and consider who they approach before they actually do it. Kid, if you're gonna touch me, make sure I've had my coffee first. No one likes a cranky bitch." Yes, sad but true. I was making a remark to the wolf form I love using.

The moon hovered just on the horizon, floating aimlessly over the cliffside which this blasted place was built upon. My second day, so far so good, but only time will tell and what the toxicity of the coffee here was. So far, all I wanted was something edible. Today, the air was thick and cold, like an icy pressure pressing on my lungs and it wasn't going to get better by the looks of it.

It was fairly early, the sun had just barely set when woke up and got ready for my day so it didn't surprise me that as the black ascended into the sky, lights were just starting to turn on. Breakfast was at seven, sharp.

Today, I let my hair hang loose, still in bare feet and extra long jeans, and a gray belly T-shirt with a giant paw on the back of it. The rain from yesterday had pretty much dried up leaving the dark blue light shine on everything it could that didn't reflect. My phone hadn't rung yet, and breakfast was in an hour. I remembered the waterfall that Damien had told me about before I came, and how beautiful it had been in his eyes. I wanted to see that same beauty out of the rain and in the light of the perfect crescent moon. Tomorrow night, there would be no moon, only a New Moon.

I sensed someone following me, but paid no attention because my phone began ringing about halfway to the Falls. The caller ID said it was Damien and my heart leapt with joy. I flipped the little black Human Razor phone open and almost squealed.

"Damien! What took you?" I asked, elated.

"Sorry, sis, I got a little tied up here at school. I hear you arrived at my old school yesterday. So?" he stated. His voice seemed almost tentative, like he was hiding something from me. I shrugged the notion ff and went back to answering. He's my brother, he wouldn't lie to me, would he?

"Did you ever have a problem with the locals?" I asked, automatically thinking he must have had some issues. I actually hoped so that I wouldn't just seem like I was up to no good.

"What did you do?" he asked playfuly.

I started walking again. "I didn't let some sexist pig pass, he attacked, I defended and now he's after me and Kitta like I declared war or something! He beat her almost senseless yesterday and I lost it. I sent him and his lackeys flying and running for their dorm rooms. You know I don't like fighting, but Kitta needs someone to help her out and teach these cocky ass's their place. She warned me not to mess with them and now she wont even talk to me. I swear, it's like I can't win no matter how much blood I lose." I held the phone closer to my ear and hugged my stmach against the cold. Befre Breakfast, I'd be going to get my little wool sweater that tied up and was long enough to slide against the back of my knees.

"Tally," he groaned. "I know you have a temper, and you've got a hellishly acurate Maternal instinct and all, but sometimes you have to let that pride go. Kit probably just feels like you don't wanna listen and will probably just get yourself killed before your first report card. She's a lot like me, an older sibling looking out for a rebellious younger sibling who has a tendancy to irritate people just because you exhert that aura," he explained.

I soghed and groaned to the moon. "I miss you, bro. Do you know what the Units did?"

"Sent you to school in a limmozine and a police escourt? Yeah, I know. I gave them hell for that. Uh...Don't be expecting to have an easy first year, by the way. I called to let you know that I have someone from the service looking for you. I assigned him to be your bodyguard, and I think you'll find him rather attractive. His name is Aaron and he is signed up as a freshmen. The only thing I think you'll find irritating about him is his attitude." He laughed and I remained in an aggitated silence. There was a suspicious pause after he finished, like he wanted to tell me something but didn't know how to start.

Suddenly scared, I kept my voice steady and calm; playful like I had no clue what he was planning and thought it was funny. "What aren't you telling me?" I asked. I'd stopped walking and wrapped my arm tighter around my stomach. It wasn't the wind that made me cold. It was the icy feeling in my heart that always said there was something I was missing and it would have a major impact on what was happening around me.

"Umm...Nothing. I'll call you later. Bye!" He hung up on me, the little bastard!

"Damien!" I put the phone away. "Yeah. Jesus, does he has to send me on some sort of coded mission wherever I go?" I sighed and headed back the way I came. No sense in enjoying peaceful scenery when your mood has been spoiled by your brother not being clear again. A few yards away, in the old oak tree that never hybernates, a crow with red eyes observed my movements without flinching. I let out a deep wolf growl at it and it cawed like it was laughing at my feeble attempts to scare it off.

I was the first one in to breakfast, and the first one out. I just grabbed some cereal, a few vitamin packed doughnuts, and a milk before heading outside to the waterfall to eat. It tastes like shit, as school food normally did, but I ate it anyways. I was focused on what Damien could have been hiding from me. He never kept secrets from me unless it was to keep me safe. But what could he be protecting me from if he goes to an overnight college? "Damien," I whispered to myself. "What did you get yourself into this time?" I remember when he was going here in his third year, he had all sorts of codes and signs he'd taught me so we could have our own little conversations. I thought it was fun, but he continuously kept secrets. Telling me that it was to protect me was all he could say. Ofcourse I believed him, but only because he's my brother and there's supposed to be trust. I was so wound into my thoughts that I hadn't even sensed Kitta behind me.

"Tally?" she asked quietly. I jumped, spilling my milk over. She handed me hers, which I declined as usual and she sat down next to me. Too ashamed to look at her, I watched the milk seep into the thirsty ground. "I wanted to appologize."

"For what?" I asked her, confused. I looked foreward but not at her.

"I'm not as perfect as you think I am. I need protecting from time to time, but you enjoy doing that. I let my cowardice take over everytime a bad situation I get into, and last night all I could think was that if only you'd listened to me he wouldn't have come after me."

"You're right. I just declared war with a hot headed idiot who may or may not literally try to kill you. So is the way of living with humans for so long. You get used to how humans work. They back down if enough intimidation is present, but here no one backs down. If I had listened to you, you wouldn't be suffering." I looked away again.

"No, I'm wrong. What you said, how no one should act like they own everyone and everything, that was true. I let my fear cloud what should have been done. You did, and even though he's coming after me for it, I know that you'll still be right there keeping me and his victims safe. You don't back down, not because of pride, but because it's the right thing to do."

"So, you're not mad at me?" I asked looking at her. She has the same healing abilities as I do, healing in the moon light. Broken bones fix, cuts heal, even bullet wounds heal, pulling the bullets out as it does. The bruises which had adorned Kitta's face the night before were faded completely leaving only a grey circle around the used to be bruises. A few more hours in the moonlight would get rid of those as well.

She smiled her bright, cheery smile. "No, silly. Someone had to teach that kid a lesson he wouldn't forget." We laughed together a while longer. Then sat in silence, admiring the serene senery.

"Do you remember, when Max and Damien were Juniors here, all those codes they used to play with? The old story articles, and books they used to bring home and we weren't allowed to tell our Units at all?" She looked to me then at some invisible fly around her head, trying to remember what I meant.

"No, I don't recall. Sorry," she said obliviously. "Why?"

"No reason." If she didn't remember then the reason I was having this bad feeling was either paranoia or just a premonition that didn't want to be wrong.

We walked to the school commons together, chatting and laughing like there was nothing to be suspicious about. The whole way there, out of the corner of my eye, a black figure danced in and out of my vision and sent me into an icy alertness. There was hardly anyone up, but they still kept dancing in and out of my periferal. Eyes bore into my back from the shadows, and I knew something was immediately wrong.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Talon come to join the party!" He was kind of short, only about six inches taller than me, was kind of thick, and looked like your korny movie bully. He had dark brown spiked hair, spike collar and matching bracelets, a chain hung down from his waist, and he looked like he was pissed at me for some reason I didn't know about. There was an eerie, chilled wind making its way between the two of us and him. I could still feel the eyes burning into my back, though. Were they with him?

"You are?" I asked. He seemed to know me, but I don't recall knowing him.

"Playing dumb, are we?" he sneered, his mug shaping a twisted smile. I shook my head. He had some serious issues.

"No, I just think you have me confused with someone else." He glowered at me, the smile no longer playing across his face. He looked seriously pissed off, yet his intimidation level did nothing to me.

"My name is Alex Fang, and I believe you beat my brother to a bloody pulp yesterday."

"Okay, I beat three guys to a pulp. One of them twice. You're going to have to be specific. AND I only used self defense because they were going after my sister here. I stood up to him, he got pissed, targeted her like a coward, and then tried to teach me something. The only thing I learned is he either holds back a lot or needs to work on his defense. His offense is minor but he has a good hook, and yeah. If you want to join them on my list of regret, go ahead." I kept my face indifferent to hide the pain in my back that the silent observers were causing.

"List of what?" his pissed look turned into one of confusion and irritation, like he hadn't got the whole story.

"She doesn't like fighting unless there's a purpose to it. Self defense is okay, but if she has to use force to get someone to stop doing something or even intimidate them she feels bad. It's this whole 'Free Will' thing she's had going for a while," Kitta stepped in for me. "You have to understand that people who think they can get away with anything they want to irritate her." That tone, I realized, was one of familiarity. Not one of protection. She was his friend, and he was just putting on an act. Great!

"Well, I guess my little brother needs to go back to school then," he laughed. Then he turned to me and smiled. "I say this because Damien, a really good friend of mine and commanding officer of Aarons squad, assigned him the task of protecting you, not trying to kill you."

"Sketchy say what?" I asked obliviously. Then, from the school commons behind us, Aaron, the leader of the gang that attacked Kitta the other night appeared. His icy blue eyes glowing with both pride and annoyance.

"I though you said yu were going to teach her some manners, Alex, not befriend them!" He was angry. It was reasonable because he did get his ass kicked when he faced off against me.

"Did you know, Aaron, that Kit here is a good friend of mine?" he asked his little brother. Aaron's face went from defiant to embarrassed and hateful. "And this girl here is the same one Damien asked you to guard? You really need to listen to orders before you go around making the world your enemy." Aaron looked at me, first in shock but only for a split second. Then his face resumed it's normal cocky, arrogant attitude.

My back stiffened, my lungs became tight, and my muscles were wracked with pain. Whatever was watching me literally cranked it up a notch. Making it look like a response to his attitude, I snarled at him, whispered to Kitta where I was going and flew off towards the dorms. I'd have to wake up during the sunlight hours to figure out what was following me.

In hawk form, not my most elegant, I saw that there was more than one shadow following me. The moonlight felt icy cold against the heat from my pursuers stares. What kind of creature does that?

As I flew past the Old Oak tree, I met up with the giant crow from earlier. It was literally about as big as an Eagle Owl. Hawks are seriously outsized when it came to those birds, and here I was being chased down by a crow the same size with three eyes. Not that I'm panicing or anything!

It knocked me out of the sky upon seconds of it's pursuit. I changed back to human just in time to take the impact. Nothing broke, however I was winded. I sat up and draped my left arm over my knee.

"This is not my day," I said, watching the crow carefully from the ground. It circled me from the sky like it was hunting me, though I can't say it wasn't. Then I realized something, and I didn't like it. My phone rang at that exact moment.

"Not the best time," I said, panting.

"Alex just called me and told me what was happening with you and Aaron. Wait! Why osn't this the best time?" Damien asked on the other line.

"How the hell does a giant three headed crow fly without wind?" I asked. Then it took a doive towards me, it's beak open and flaming. "Oh, SHIT!" I shut the phone and manuvered my self out of the way.

It struck the ground so hard where I had just been sitting that the earth shook, but not enough for anyone to notice. In the smoke, I could see it transforming from a giant crow to a giant wolf. I couldn't get that big because I'm only the size of a cub in my wolf form. Interpretation: Help! I'm screwed! Oh, shit! Fuck! Which ever you prefer.

It's fur was white as snow, it's eyes a terrifying red. The third eye had moved from his forehead to his chest, forcing him to hold his head up high in an arrogant "I'm better than you" manner. His presence was hellishly intimidating, and I had to fight to keep from letting my fear get the best of me. The beat of my heart, the drum of adrenaline, and his vicious snarls were all I could hear.

I stood crouched in a defensive position, waiting for his attack. He stood ready to go, his muscles twitching with anticipation. He wasn't getting ready to attack, he was getting ready to chase me. I let my animal instincts take over and ran. I transformed into my wolf cub form and ran.

He followed ofcourse. He wanted something, and nothing was going to deterr him, even if he wanted to have a game of Man Hunt in the mean time. I could feel the thump of his steps as he punded after me, on paw after another. I lost my step a couple times because of it, but I stayed on rhythym with my heart beat.

The thrill of the chase was ripping out of its locks and bombarding my body with a speed I didn't know I had. I ran faster and faster and faster. I ran so fast that the much larger wolf was struggling to to keep up with me.

Wolf boy appeared out of my periferal vision, running just as fast, but struggling just a little, to keep up with me. He was focused on the raging animal behind me, trying to put himself between my attacker and myself. We were by the river now and a wrong step would put you right in the rushing torrent from yesterdays rain. The river is connected with the river in the human world and the waterfall which is why I was headed this way. I memorized Damiens maps of the terrain around there.

Just as I feared, the giant wolf knocked Wolf Boy into the rushing river. The plan for his help was Fail, but I still had mine. I needed to pull him into the human world, trap him in the tunneling of the caves. I didn't get a good feeling about this plan either, but it was all I had at the moment.

The cliff was coming, I sped faster and faster. A game, I told myself, It's just a game of Man Hunt and no one can beat me at that. My heart and legs sped up, making me feel as though I was flying. I launched myself foreward, faster and faster until there was no where else to go except if I jumped.

I felt the rocks stab at my bleeding pads as I thrust myself from them, down into the human world. I ran down the ninty degree angle slope, luring the attacking wolf down. He was bigger than me so he'd go down faster.

Just as I'd planned, we exited the barrier and I changed into a humming bird to make a fast escape. The giant wolf that followed me had lost its balance and was plummeting to the pool at the borrom of the fall. He was no longer a giant wolf, but rather one abou the size of a teenage wolf. One thing I liked about this world was that it put you on an equal playing field. The eye on his chest was reduced to a stone like scar, and his eyes were maroon instead of bright fire colored. His spalsh was still pretty big in comparison to a normal one.

I looked at the black wolf lying there in the shallows, making his way towards the shore. I changed back into human and ran over to him. He looked at me, the shocking worry no longer in his blissful blue eyes, only replaced by the horror and hatred of an enemy. I realized then who it was.

I sank to my knees and hunched over, clutching the loose fabric of my jeans and squeezing. I'd run to fast and my body was having a hard time calming down. "You...Were doing...Your Job...All along...Weren't you... Aaron?" I managed to say through gasps.

"You knew he was going to follow you, didn't you?" he panted at me, his toungue hanging out of the side of his mouth. His eyes still showed he hated me.

"Yes, I did," I admitted. "But he didn't know about the laws tha apply here. You can shift but you shift to the size on the animal the humans know. No Elemental Magic to allow us to use our powers. Only Elementals have the advantage on this plain. That third eye he was using? It's effects have no power here because he aquired it in our world. I don't know why, but he seems kind of familiar somehow..." I trailed off. Why did I hae the feeling that something impossibly terrifying was about to happen?

He stood up then, with blue jeans soaked all the way through. I almost shreiked at what I saw. In the center of his chest, just above the brest bone and coming together at a point dead between his collar bones, was a firey red stone. It didn't bulge out like half of it was imbedded in his skeleton, but, though hardly visible from a side view, was there all the same. There seemed to be a black smoke that spiraled inward moving inside it. Aaron looked and was just as shocked.

"Talon, get up and run," he said calmly, changing into a hot human again. He was the equivalent of the crystalized human. Almost like twins... Holy shit!

"He's your brother," I whispered in disbelief. He looked at me, no longer hating my guts, then took off his button up shirt. He had a crystal, too. Only his was welcoming, bright. There was nothing demonic about it. It was that milky blue you get when you shade an opalescent stone. When he turned towards his twin, it turned the same orange. The same hottness, only minus the white hair and demonic aspiration to kill me.

"Go!" he shouted at me. I immidiately tried to stand, but my legs felt like goo. I couldn't move, and Aaron knew this. The moon had the same effects on me here, they just took longer to work. In about a half an hour I would be able to walk again, but the feeling I got said we didn't have that time. That feeling was proved when Evil Twin came up behind Aaron, sucker punched him and sent him to the ground into unconsciousness. I was the next to follow.


End file.
